December 9: worth it (really?)

When things are easy it is easy to say that it is worth it. However, if we struggle to get things right we question ourselves, will this be worth it? As I mentioned in my previous post, the past is in the past and so is the future. At this very moment, we are clueless whether we are fighting the right battles or not.

So, is it worth it? To answer that you must know what you want yourself to be in the future. Simple life? Not-so-simple life? Is there other route to get what I want without struggling? I guess regardless of which way you go, challenges are inevitable. They create growth. And without growth the future looks scary.

Maybe it will be worth it. Maybe not. The thing that your future self will thank you is that you tried even if it is frightening and giving you sweaty palms. Old people will tell you that the most regretful things they have done were the ones they did not.

25 Things I Can Give a Boy this Christmas

I grew up with two brothers and my dad. I also got some guy friends. And, every year I would always struggle on what to give them because I want something that will be useful for them. Below are things you may consider giving them. Most of them were gifts I have given a guy at some point, and I saw these things useful for them.

1. Bluetooth speaker

2. Airtag

3. Leather wallet

4. Backpack

5. Hoodie

6. Tumbler

7. Tools

8. Mechanical keyboard

9. Cap

10. T-shirt

11. Socks

12. Coffee maker

13. Air fryer

14. Customized phone case

15. Swiss knife

16. Charger

17. Belt bag

18. Small wallet

19. Razor

20. Board game

21. Console game

22. Notebook

23. Fountain pen

24. Keyboard/mouse pad

25. App subscription

If you think that you already gave all these to that guy, you can opt to giving him a gift card for him to decide what he needed or wanted.

Before you decide think twice if they mentioned that they need this or if you have seen them using this before. You do not want to give your guy friend a board game if he is more of a video gamer. You know him more than me. LOL.

December 8: I’m scared and overwhelmed (but it is needed)

I woke up praying that God would give strength for the next coming days. It is scary and overwhelming this journey. Not only because it is creating new good habits but because the damages I made yesterday have been showing me the amount of work that I have to accomplish in this process of replacing the old me of a new and better version of me living my life to the fullest – maybe living the fullest does not mean rainbows and butterflies, maybe it is actually living your best self for your life’s mission despite the struggles.

Life is not meant to be easy. Life is meant to be lived. And to live is to feel – the hard, the struggle, the challenge, and the discomfort. Being scared and overwhelmed are not pleasing feelings but these are moments we will for sure remember for the rest of our lives. But, make sure you are feeling this now for the good of your future self.

December 7: the past (is already in the past)

Did I mess up today? Yes. Can I change it? No. These are the facts. What happened already is irreversible. No time machine offers round-trip tickets from the past to the present available on the market. If you know any, let me know. I want to get some. LOL.

We are all guilty that we made mistakes in the past. The regretful ones were usually those that we had control over at that moment and we chose instant gratification and not the consequences.

But, again, it is in the past. You cannot waste any more time and energy overthinking or crying in bed over things that are done.

What now? What can you do?

That is the answer. What you can do now is to do the best that you have at this point and in the coming days. Do not aim to correct the previous mistakes. Your goal should be to be a better version of yourself today to make up for your past mistakes. You must make up for your past mistakes and not correct them – they are two different things – one is doable and the other is a waste of time and energy.

You do not choose the easy way but rather the right one. It can be a no-brainer or freaking hard ways. In both cases DO NOT escape when your brain is telling you to. Face it. Do it right. Think of the consequences in the long run would be.

December 6: period (is an excuse)

During this journey of creating better routine, you will find yourself looking at excuses to justify getting back to day 1.

In my case, I usually use my period days as an excuse to stay in bed and not do anything. Some people may say that it’s part of a woman’s life. We suffer every month with abdominal pain and fatigue and it’s normal. For some, it will be extreme and you have to be self aware to that. And I am aware that I can still push through during this very challenging moment of changing my life and I use my period as an excuse.

If you find yourself starting to make excuse, drop it. Keep moving! Do not break what you have built for 6 days. Rest but do not stop. I experienced that each time I gave in to the excuses for days, I end up going back to day 1 of building these good habits I am aiming.

If today, you feel that this journey is tiring, still persevere. Each day will become less difficult as it becomes part of you. And always remember why you started when excuses are trying to conquer you.

December 5: get up (or keep snoozing)

I woke up very early today not because I was motivated to get things done but because I have to get up to open the door for my roommate.

This may look simple but I am convinced that to make life worth living, we have to live for one another. What happened today was just an example of a day that would make you realize that we have to get up for other people.

We have a choice everyday. To set up an alarm and snooze multiple times or get up and realize that we have to wake up and get up to live our full potential for the benefit of everyone. This in the long run will benefit our mind and soul.

Listen to that inner alarm clock telling you that you are more than what you are thinking and begin picking up yourself to see how beautiful your life could be by simply getting up.

December 4: small progress (is still progress)

Are you getting frustrated because you feel like you don’t have enough time and your progress is very little.

I tell you. Slow or small progress is way better than nothing. So keep doing what you are doing to create the change you wanted in yourself.

Today may just be 1% change but the accumulation of it in days would be significant instead of just scrolling mindlessly on your socials and not even creating 0.1% progress.

But, you have to be strict to yourself. Today maybe 1% but make an effort to increase this tomorrow.

December 3: never easy (to change but will be worth it)

I feel like I lost a lot of hours in my life not living to my full potential for years. Looking back, I could’ve started sooner and build these habits to have it now. But those hours are gone now. What I can do would be to make up those lost hours – maybe pulling an all-nighter? I don’t know. This process is trial and error. We try. We fail. We learn. And it will be worth it in the end.

December 2: withdrawal (is not easy but only way to get out of bad habit addiction)

A bad habit formed is like getting addicted to, sex, nicotine, or drugs.

It is addicting that you cannot get out right away on your second day of attempt.

This withdrawal phase from a bad habit is as difficult as getting out of an addiction.

Today, I gave in to several temptations my brain told me to escape the hard things. I spent 7 hour of being unproductive. I binged watch a series and scrolled mindlessly my IG and twitter.

The difference of breaking bad habits and creating a good routine and addiction is that you can directly implement a rehabilitation program. You move away physically from the vices by entering a building with people to help you.

In our case, we can/may seek psychological help but I won’t. I wanna prove the world that nothing is impossible if you seriously and genuinely set your mind on it. You will persevere if you fight those demons in your head wanting to drag you to day 1.

You can create your own rehabilitation program. Remove your Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Tiktok account or the app one by one during the course. Give yourself a social media detox. Allow yourself to get bored. This will increase your focus.

I have 5 hours left for today and not yet making any significant progress with my to-do lists because I gave in to temptations. I have to be stricter with myself. Tomorrow has to be better but use your hours left today efficiently. Fight it. Focus.

December 1: the start (to getting my routine changed in 30 days)

Habits determine your future. I admittedly have lots of bad habits I am trying to change into good ones. But things you built up for years are hard to change overnight. It is detrimental to our mental health to think that you can be a different person in a day or a week or even a month.

Nothing is impossible. The universe has fully convinced me that people are limitless. What restricts us is our mindset. A weakness we created over the years which we have to strengthen up to its core. It is not easy.

Over the last years, I have been wanting to be a changed person my future self will thank my past self. I made efforts but I keep coming back to those bad old ones. I needed to be less harsh and forgive myself but it is becoming a dark rat wheel for me. A cycle that I have to break.

Maybe I need to be more harsh to myself. Push more. And do not give up when things become hard. Persist. Commit. Get disciplined.

Be hard to yourself. Try again and not fail a day with your routine. Do not give in to the temptations. Maybe life is supposed to be difficult to enjoy the easy.